Jason Matthews (September 17, 1951 – April 28, 2021[1]) was an American author of espionage novels and former CIA officer, best known for the Red Sparrow spy novel trilogy.
Biography edit
Matthews was born September 17, 1951, in Hartford, Connecticut.[1] He worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for three decades, where he met his wife, Suzanne, also a former CIA officer.[2][1] He died April 28, 2021 at the age of 69 from corticobasal degeneration.[3]
Career edit
Prior to becoming a novelist, Matthews spent 33 years working for the CIA.[4] While in the CIA he was officially a diplomat, in Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, but his real job was recruiting and then managing foreign agents.[5]
In 2014, his first novel, Red Sparrow (2013), won an Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American author.[6] Writer and critic Art Taylor praised it in The Washington Post, writing that it "isn't just a fast-paced thriller—it's a first-rate novel as noteworthy for its superior style as for its gripping depiction of a secretive world."[7] It was adapted into a movie of the same name starring Jennifer Lawrence.[8]
In 2015 and 2018, he published Palace of Treason and The Kremlin’s Candidate, which are the sequels to Red Sparrow.
Works edit
Red Sparrow trilogy edit
- Matthews, Jason (2013). Red Sparrow. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4711-1261-4.
- ——— (2015). Palace of Treason. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4767-9375-7.
- ——— (2018). The Kremlin's Candidate. Penguin Books, Limited. ISBN 978-1-4059-2085-8.
Awards edit
- 2014 ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel, for Red Sparrow[9]
- 2014 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, for Red Sparrow[10]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Jason Matthews, CIA officer who after a career in the field wrote realistic spy novels including Red Sparrow – obituary". The Telegraph. 3 May 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
- ^ My Mom Was A Spy For The CIA, And This Is What She Wore To Work
- ^ "Author of 'Red Sparrow' thrillers, Jason Matthews, dies at 69". USA Today. Associated Press. April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ McGrath, Charles (May 27, 2015). "Shadowing Jason Matthews, an Ex-Spy Whose Cover Identity Is Author". The New York Times. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
- ^ Shadowing Jason Matthews, New York Times.
- ^ "Category List – Best First Novel | Edgars Database". The Edgars. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
- ^ Art Taylor (October 15, 2013). "'Red Sparrow,' a fantastic new spy thriller by former CIA operative Jason Matthews". The Washington Post.
- ^ Kelly, Mary Lousie (March 5, 2018). "'Red Sparrow' Author And Ex-CIA Agent Says New Movie Gets Spy Life Right". NPR. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "International Thriller Writers – Past Nominees and Winners". thrillerwriters.org. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- ^ "Category List – Best First Novel | Edgars Database". theedgars.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.